L-7 Bangladesh Political History Part II

Gupta rule:
The history of Bengal from the fall of the Maurya rule (2nd century
B.C.) to the rise of the gupta period (4th century B.C.) is particularly obscure and
vague. The discovery of the beautiful Terracota fingers at ‘Mahasthan’,
‘Tamralipti’ and “Chandraketargarh” dated in the 2nd and 1st centuries B.C.,
which proved that Bengal continued to flourish in the ‘Sunga’ and ‘Kushana’
periods. In fact, the whole of Bengal was a powerful kingdom with its capital at
“gange”, a flourishing market town on the banks of the “Ganges River”. There are
many evidences of a great trade and commerce between Bengal and china as
well as other countries. By about 10th century A.D. most independent states
come under Samudragupta’s trade. However, his son Chandragupta II
consolidated their position in the east and had to wage wars against vanga, by
the end of the 6th century A.D. Samatata (Comilla) was ruled by a king named
“Vaniya gupta” several copper plates of 5th century A.D. have been found of the
gupta emperors like (Kumara gupta-Buddha gupta) in the north Bengal. Under
this rule Bengal was an important province. The period of the gupta is considered
to be the “golden age” during this gupta age; India was under a strong,
benevolent central government, which brought peace, wealth and prosperity for a
long time. In fact, Bengal had the privilege of being part of all Indian empire in
which there was efficient administration and political stability. ‘Gupta coins’
proved the economic prosperity of the region under the gupta era. Fa-Heien the
Chinese visitor stated that in the east Tamralipti (modern Tamluk) in Midnapur
district had a great emporium of trade. It is important to note that the artistic
excellence of the ‘gupta age’ is well-known and influenced the artistic tradition of
Bengal. Moreover the Gupta School inspired the Bengal school of sculptural art.

Emperor Sasanka:
During this late gupta period that is by the death of sasanka terrible
chaos anarchy and lawlessness prevailed in the country. For more than a century
i.e. 650 to 750 A.D. the history of gaud and Samatata had political upheaval.

The Pata Dynasty:

The Pata dynasty was founded by Gopala in the middle of 8th
century A.D. and ruled Bengal four centuries. The historians believed that the
rule of the palas formed the glorious period in ancient history of Bengal. This
glorious period of history was contributed by the combined effort of the eighteen
generation of the pala kings. They were (i) Period of ascendency by Dharmapala
(C.781-821 A.D.) Devapala (C.821-861 A.D.), Then came a period of stagnation
in the country (C.861-995 A.D.), this was revived by Mahipala-I (C.995-1048
A.D.). Mahapala-I was regarded as the second founder of this dynasty after the

Courtesy by: Kaisar Syed 1

L-7 Bangladesh Political History Part II

great chaos in the country the last phase. (ii) Period of Decline and Disintegration
was somehow stopped by a strong rule of Rampala in (C.1082-1124 A.D.). But
Pala Empire did not last long. The final collapse came with the coming and the
rise in power by the senas in the third quarter of the 12th century A.D. both
Mahipala I and Dharmapala were powerful enough to challenge the gurjara
Prathiharas of western India and Rashtakutas of southern India. There was a
long drawn struggle for two generations, but the pala kings extended their
boundaries of Bengal and Bihar as for kanauj. In fact Dharmapala stands out
most successfully in the annals of pala dynasty as a great conqueror and a
brilliant leader who spread Bengali’s influence over North India for quite
sometime. He was a devout Buddhist and remained a great patron of Buddhism
and founded a monumental architectatural sompura Mahavira at paharpur (in
Naogaon in Bangladesh). This is included in the ‘Heritage of Man’ of UNESCO
and is regarded as the greatest Buddhits Monastery in the Indian Sub-continent
but the 2nd largest in the world. The reigns of Mahipala II (C.995-1043A.D.)
brought balk some glory and vitality. Rampala’s rule (c.1082-1124 A.D.) was the
last flickering hope of the pala dynasty. He also restarted the pala dynasty in
northern Bengal and conducted in its expansion programme. But was soon
replaced by the sena dynasty.

The long rule of the pala dynasty for four centuries brought stability
in Bengal and prosperity in the arts of peace. They established sound
government and a good administration structure. Their empire was basically
agrarian in nature, trade and commerce was not that important factors. The
decline of the part of the Tramlalipti after the 8th century A.D. was indeed a great
setback for the sea-borne trade of Bengal with the outside trade.

On the other hand, the long Buddhist rule of the palas generated a
great religious toleration in Bengal and there prevailed an environment of Hindu-
Buddhist amity and co-existence. It was the palas who initiated religious
toleration. Having lived side by side these two religious for so many centuries
that there emerged a new form and practices which culminated in the evolution of
Tantric clubs among the Buddhists in Bengal. The pala period had significant
achievements in arts and architecture. The Terracota art of Bengal reached its
highest peak during this period. So was the Pala School of sculptural arts come
to be recognized as a distinct phase of “Eastern Indian Art”. The great poetic
work of “Ramchararitram” of the North Bengali poet “Sandhyakara Nandi”,
testifies this. Finally Buddhists Art of paintings on the “Palm Leaf manuscripts” of
Buddhist test of that period showed the excellance in the art of paintings. This
was the glorious period in the early history of Bengal.

Courtesy by: Kaisar Syed 2

L-7 Bangladesh Political History Part II

The Sena Dynasty:

By the end of the 12th century A.D. Vijay Sena found this sena
dynasty into an empire. The senas held the sway and position for more than a
century (c.1097-1223 A.D.) in which five generations of kings, Vijay Sena, Vallala
Sena, Laksmana Sena, Viswarupa Sena and Kesava Sena ruled. By this time
Mohammad Bakhtiyar Khalji ended the Sena rule by his surprise invasion in
Western and Northern Bengal in 1204 A.D. The Sena rulers were all Hindus and
their rule was considered to be a period of revival of Hinduism in Bengal.
Therefore, the decline of Buddhism was due to the orthodox Hinduism and their
persecution of the Buddhist was one of the causes. According to some
historians, that “It was not Islam which overcome Buddhism, but a more
jealous rival of nearer origin”, that is to say Hinduism was responsible partly,
as Buddhism become weak in the infrastructure. Thus it is the Hindu Orthodoxy
towards other religious that had a far reaching impact, indirectly helped the
coming of Islam in Bengal.

Courtesy by: Kaisar Syed 3